Adopting Valentine's Day to Market Products is Westernisation That Helps Marketers - Pravin Chandan

Business Wire India
The month of love is here. The big day will be celebrated on February 14th, after a week of love-filled events. Valentine's Day has a special meaning for those in love, and it is a day when individuals show their love for their significant others. Valentine's day is a day when people celebrate love all over the world. On this day, people give gifts, roses, or notes to their partners, crushes, and spouses to demonstrate their love. To keep the spirit of the love festival alive, several days such as teddy day, rose day, and others are celebrated for a week before Valentine’s Day. Valentine's Day falls on the 14th of February every year.

“Following economic liberalization, the celebration of Valentine's Day became increasingly popular in India,” says Pravin Chandan. Protests have been held by organizations that believe the celebrations are influenced by the West. Protests cause law and order issues in numerous Indian cities on February 14th almost every year. Activists have raided card shops and set fire to Valentine's Day cards and flowers in the past. Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal members have been accused of throwing rotten tomatoes at couples. Restaurants have also been attacked, according to reports. Bajrang Dal is notorious for erecting billboards advising couples not to hold hands. People who exhibit affection in public will be photographed and the images will be given to their families, according to the Shiv Sena. When vigilantes catch couples strolling in public parks, their hair is hacked off and their faces are painted black to shame them. However, in some parts of the country, youngsters still celebrate this day to show their love.

“The origins of Valentine's Day may be traced back to the Western world. But now, the entire globe, including India, celebrates Valentine's Day as a day of love, a day for expressing affection for the cherished,” says Pravin Chandan. The Indian love customs and expressions differ significantly from those of the Western world. However, Valentine's Day has gradually been ingrained in Indian culture, particularly in metropolitan areas. Many Indians, particularly young couples, celebrate Valentine's Day in the same way that the rest of the world does. They dress up and plan surprises and gifts to show their loved one how much they care about them. On this particular day, hotels and restaurants are completely booked to accommodate couples. Flowers, gift packages, and romantic notes are being sent in large numbers to post offices and courier businesses.

Marketers have begun making the most of marketing on Valentine's Day. “Valentine's Day falls on the 14th of February every year and is a day which brands can capitalize to increase sales, even if they don't sell typical valentine's day related products such as candy, flowers or jewelry,” says Pravin Chandan. Valentine's week, which includes days such as rose day, propose day, etc. can also be tapped into to increase sales. With the right marketing, brands can make their products or services part of their customers' gifting ideas.

Despite the fact that India is experiencing a general economic slump, there appears to be no change in discretionary expenditure on Valentine's Day. Every year, the online and offline market for Valentine's Day gifts and experiences grows, and the trend is expected to continue this year. Valentine's Day is not just for subtly marketing a brand’s items. It may also assist the brand in maintaining subscriber engagement, collecting consumer feedback, and promoting the customer loyalty programme. Valentine's Day marketing strategies have gone totally digital in recent years, with a significant social media presence. Smaller businesses who don't have the money of Hallmark may simply promote awareness of their own brands over the holiday season with these new opportunities.

Each year, more consumers, particularly from metropolitan cities, are attracted by appealing discounts and the availability of a wide range of items across platforms. Factors like quick home delivery, 24-hour availability, and a large product selection are attracting an increasing number of online buyers. The way people live has been altered due to social media. Even though some people don't want to celebrate holidays like Valentine's Day, social media influence causes them to do something special or buy a present for their loved ones.

Valentine's Day is all about love, hearts, and glitter, which aren't always associated with other holidays. If brands offer items with that theme, Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to showcase them as great gift ideas. Creating a product suggestion popup to highlight bestsellers or top selections from the sale can help to promote Valentine's-themed or discounted products on a site.

The days leading up to Valentine's Day is the best time to guide prospective clients with relevant and useful gift suggestions. “Each brand can assist their prospects in making smarter purchase decisions and position their items as outstanding present ideas by providing gift suggestions in the form of emails, pop ups, or landing pages,” says Pravin Chandan.

If resources and time are available, offer a limited-edition product for Valentine's Day. This creates a sense of exclusivity and urgency and will drive customers to buy the product. It is especially helpful if the limited-edition product is one that can be gifted on Valentine's Day.

With products that are already part of the normal product lineup, brands can easily pair products that work well together and create a Valentine's Day themed bundle. “Making a bundle with best-sellers at a discounted price is a low-key approach to do something for Valentine's Day without feeling overwhelmed,” says Pravin Chandan.

Therefore, although the celebration of Valentine’s Day is considered as westernisation, this day and the marketing campaigns adopted by brands for this day are crucial.

www.pravinchandan.com
www.pravinchandan.in
Source: Business
Jitendra7935
Jitendra7935  

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